


Had We But World Enough, and Time

by Kara (magelette)



Category: The Young Riders
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-24
Updated: 2009-12-24
Packaged: 2017-10-05 04:21:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 808
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/37758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magelette/pseuds/Kara
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She knew she was lucky to have just one night, but oh, how she'd remember that night forever. Poem and title courtesy of Andrew Marvell. Set just after "The Blood of Others."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Had We But World Enough, and Time

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mgsmurf](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mgsmurf/gifts).



It had only been one night, but she knew that Kid always thought about it. Jimmy, too, for all it was the only night they had. What else could they do, except comfort each other? Jimmy'd been staring his own future in the face, and she... She didn't want to admit how much that had affected her, first off seeing Kid shot like that, and second, knowing that she, at some point, would have to choose between the men she loved. She could only save one. The Bible and the laws of the United States said so.

She didn't remember much after the hanging, just being pressed up against Kid's chest, one hand clutching Jimmy's. Somehow Kid, capable Kid, found them a room at the hotel – only room left, she thought she remembered someone saying. Not that it mattered. Jimmy hadn't even protested when Kid dragged them all upstairs and pushed Jimmy down on the sole bed. She thought Jimmy muttered something about the floor, but one look from her to Kid killed any notion of that.

Someone brought up a bath – she wasn't sure who, not that it mattered. Kid had to unbutton her shirt for her, peel her out of it like she was a little girl again. Trousers and underthings joined shirt and vest on the floor. He clasped her to his bare chest as he had, time and again, to comfort her. Lord knew how many nights he'd held her, or how many nights she'd held him.

They fit into the bath somehow, legs folded up and intertwined. He shifted her half into his lap, and she noticed there was still a space there for someone, if they wanted it.

"Jimmy," she said softly, after seeing the answer in Kid's eyes. She'd known – wasn't surprised if they'd all known, all the sound and fury and blustering those two went through. "Jimmy."

He looked at her, gray eyes sad and lonely, and how she wanted to fill that loneliness. Lord, that she had to choose between these two men, these two halves of her heart. They were Lancelot and Guinevere and their King all over again, for all that they didn't have to worry about land rights and inheritance. Not with all their pas dead.

"Jimmy," Kid echoed, holding out his free hand: large, capable, able to hold all three of them together.

And Jimmy's dusty old coat, worn britches and shirt fell into a heap with theirs, his long, lean body folded into the water, just as if he belonged.

She kissed Jimmy, holding his face in her hands as her ma used to, kissing the tears away. She kissed his mouth and his eyelids, letting the tears spill over her own cheeks. She brushed away his long gold hair, twining it about her fingers. Jimmy loved enough for the whole world, protected them like he'd protect no one else. Her Lancelot.

Kid's arms wrapped around her, strong shoulders protecting her and carrying the burden of a kingdom. She hoped she wouldn't bear Guinevere's burden, betraying one love for the fulfillment of another. They weren't that ancient triangle, destined to be broken. They could fix each other, hold each other strong. They could...

Kisses and hands and mouths, touching hearts and secret places, tears and moans and hushed gasps, as if no one wanted to break the quiet. Her breasts were worshipped by two tongues, and she could feel them both around her, cradling her, cherishing her. Then, her and Kid cherishing Jimmy, Kid's arms holding Jimmy from behind and her tasting both of them on Jimmy's lips as one thrust into the other and then into her.

She slept with both their hands joined over her heart, arms and legs entangled til she wasn't sure what belonged to who. Didn't matter then, though. Didn't matter if this was the only night they had. She knew that one of them would choose. If it wasn't Kid and his propriety, it would be Jimmy and his honor. And while they'd all love, from now until the end of time, they'd do it quietly, because that was the way it had to be.

Oh, if she had her way, she'd entangle both of them into a web so that neither could leave this bed again, and the three of them could worship each other until the end of time. What had that poet said? Had we but world enough, and time... "Let us roll all our strength, and all," she said softly, tracing circles on one bare arm. They would tear their pleasures with rough strife, they would chase the sun through the iron gates of life. While the vegetable love might grow dormant between them in the coming years, Lou knew they'd always have this night, because she refused to love at a lower rate.


End file.
